Page - 97 - in The Power of Urban Water - Studies in premodern urbanism

6 Water in Early ChristianRitual: BaptismandBaptisteries inCorinth 97 Thebaptistery of the Lechaionbasilica (Fig. 5) follows the floor plan of paganbaths92 and evokes martyria and tombs in Italy and north Africa; this may allude to the function of the churchandbaptisteryasamartyr shrine.93 The formof thebaptistery, then, corresponds to the theologicalunderstandingofbaptismas thewashingawayofsins,andasdyingandrisingwith Christ. But thearchitectureof thebaptistery followedagrowing liturgy forbaptism, too,which demandeddifferent steps for confirmation, including the rejectionofSatanicpowers,94 and the changing of clothes before the ritual act performed in the basin. ‘The baptistery itself consists of threearchitecturallydistinct compartments. The largest is a 16.20×7.60mhallwithapseson its north and south end. Thismainhallwas entered from the south end, presumably from the basilica, through the apse. To the east of this apsidal hall were two additional chambers. The northernchamberhasa central coremeasuring5.05msquarewithapsidal exedraat the cardi- naldirections.Entered fromthewest through thewesternapse, this roomwas identifiedby the excavator as the apodyterion. This chamber lacks a font and seemedwell positioned for this purpose. Immediately to the southof this chamberwas theoctagonalphotisterionorbaptistery properwhichmeasures3.15macross. It appears tohavecommunicatedwith theapodyterion to its north through the triangular space formed by the east wall of the long hall and the west walls of the north and south chambers. The octagonal room featured apses at the corners and square exedra at the cardinal directions. To thewest, the photisterion communicatedwith the longhall. To the east projects a usually shaped apse.Marble revetment decorated thewalls of the elaborate buildings and the interior of the font. The photisterion preserved two fonts. The centre of the octagonal interior space featured cruciform octagonal font set in the floor with stairs on the northern and southern cross-arms. It is just under 0.50m in depth […] A smaller font sits in the southeast apse’.95 Catechumens, after having confirmed in the main hall and taken off their clothes in the apodyterion, would enter the cruciform font in the photisterion and be baptised by the bishop and a deacon.96 Single doors in the different rooms pointed the way clearly to the following room, which had a different function in the baptismal liturgy. Leaving the apodyterion by a singledoorandasmall rectangular floor, thecatechumensentering thephotisterion immediate- ly faced the basin lowered in themiddle of the room. The centric structure of the photisteria signaled very clearly thewater basin as the destination of the processionwhich the catechu- menshad started in themainhall. Catechumenswouldenter thebasin fromonesideby steps, bebaptisedby theclerics standingon their right and left, and leave thebasin,baptised,by the opposite side.After baptism, thenewlybaptisedwould leave thephotisterionagainbya single door andwould finally be allowed to enter themain area of the basilica, probablywearing a newwhitedress, andparticipate in theEucharisticmeal and the liturgyas realmembersof the Christian community. There is some indication that the impressive baptistery of the Lechaion 92 Pallas 1990, 774. Sanders compares bathing establishments in Corinth with the form of the baptistery, see Sanders 1999, 474f.; Caraher 2014, 149 map 8.2. Brandt 2011, 1588, demonstrates the convergence of baptismal terminologywith the terminology concerningbaths. 93 Pallas 1990, 776, assumes the formermartyr shrine tobe close to thebasilica, butnot at the sameplace. 94 Müller 2012, 87. 95 DescriptionbyCaraher 2009. The functionof the second font isnot clear, Fürst 2008, 174.On theapses in late antiquebaptisteries, seeFürst 2008, 176. 96 The Traditio Apostolica 21mentions a presbyter/priest and a deacon. TheDidascalia Apostolorum8, 28men- tions theassistanceofdeaconesses at thebaptismofwomen.Although thechurchordersof the3rd and4thcentu- ries showdifferent liturgies,Müller 2012, 94,mentions someessential elementsof baptismperformed inbaptister- ies. The central act of baptismwasa triple immersion/affusionby the clerics, followedbyaTrinitarian confession of thebaptised (seeDidache7,1–3).Thebodyof thebaptisedwould thenbeanointed,he/shewouldbegranted the spirit by the laying on of hands by the bishop, and his/her front would be anointed. Fürst 2008, 127–137, gives more details on pre- and post-baptismal rites and on the baptismal act. Fürst 2008, 172, notes the difficulty of correlatingarchaeological structures to a specific baptismal liturgy.